[News] From Heartthrobs to Hairdos, Welcome to the Korean Wave

source: JakartaGlobe
by Eduardo Mariz

South Koreans have long been proud of their “wave,” the soft-power juggernaut of boy bands, movies and products that have penetrated Southeast Asia in a big way in recent years. Imagine kimchi, the smelly, spiced, fermented cabbage so suited to Korean winters, catching on among Indonesians? But even that acquired taste has become hip, along with everything from haircuts to K-pop.

Since the first Korean dramas hit the airwaves, eating stinky vegetables and listening to K-Pop hasn’t been enough.

A huge K-wave fan, Dwi Hapsari is very familiar with the total impact of Korean culture in Indonesia. She has witnessed the swell of the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, since it landed here in 2007, interviewing several stars for Indonesian publications, fostering trade on entertainment products and now serving as marketing manager for the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) in Jakarta.

Since 2007, the number of Indonesians visiting Korea has increased by more than 240 percent, from 36,000 to 124,000; in 2012, Dwi hopes to see the figure reach 160,000.

The KTO uses Korea’s star power to sell the entire country, beginning with the opening of its office in June 2011 with a ceremony that include a performance by 4NE1, an Indonesian K-Pop-inspired band.

And KTO also depends on celebrity goodwill ambassadors. “We have [K-pop band] Super Junior promoting the food. Miss A, 2PM, Girls Generation … Bae Yong-Joon are all global ambassadors for [our program] ‘Visit Korea Year,’” Dwi said. “We are using their popularity and influence to introduce Korea as a travel destination. It’s a holistic approach, it helps a lot of businesses in Korea.”

Dwi’s office has also selected well-known Indonesians, celebrity chef William Wongso and model and actress Sandra Dewi, to be local ambassadors for Korean culture.

She thinks that many Indonesians are making Korea their travel destination because they want to experience what they see in films and dramas.

“They want to try something related to the artists, they want to experience their makeup, their fashion, their habits. They are trying to imitate their idols,” Dewi said.


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